Open AccessPleistocene deglaciation and the Earth's rotation: implications for mantle viscosity
Author(s) -
Sabadini R.,
Peltier W. R.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
geophysical journal of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0016-8009
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.1981.tb04890.x
Subject(s) - deglaciation , mantle (geology) , geology , lithosphere , earth's rotation , post glacial rebound , geodesy , geophysics , polar wander , secular variation , polar motion , tectonics , sea level , seismology , paleontology , glacial period , oceanography , paleomagnetism
Summary. Recent results from the analysis of postglacial rebound data suggest that the viscosity of the Earth's mantle increases through the transition region. Models which fit both relative sea‐level and free air gravity data have viscosities which increase from a value near 10 22 poise in the upper mantle beneath the lithosphere to a value of about 10 23 poise in the lower mantle. In this paper we analyse the effect of deglaciation upon the Earth's rotation and thereby show that the observed secular trend (polar wander) evident in the ILS—IPMS pole path, and measurements of the non‐tidal acceleration of the length of day, are both consistent with the viscosity profile deduced from postglacial rebound. The two analyses are therefore mutually reinforcing.